Convertible sack-apron



Aug. 11, 1936. H. A. WlLMER CONVERTIBLE SACK APRCN Filed April ll, 1935 #w v U Patented Aug. ll, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE 2 Clams.

Generically this invention relates to containers such as sacks for fiour and the like, but it more especially comprehends a type capable of being converted into a different form and for a different -use, after it has ceased to function for its original purpose.

One of the principal objects of this invention is the provision of a flour or meal sack, susceptible of expeditious conversion into an apron when the sack has been emptiedof its original contents.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a sack fully equipped with all necessary supporting or fastening means, so that by simply ripping the sack forming seam, the said sack is converted into a complete apron ready to be worn as desired.

An important object of this invention is the provision of a sack having apron supporting or fastening means within the sack designed to occupy no appreciable space nor to interfere with the filling and emptying Operations, and including straps coincident with or overlying the inner surface of the sack forming seam normally tending to prevent escape of the contents should opening of the seam occur during course of handling, and so arranged that when said seam is ripped to form an apron, said straps will be adapted to exterd over the shoulders and in crossed relation at the back of the wearer to support said apron.

With these and other objects in View, which will become apparent as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the Construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several figures, of which:

Fig. 1 is a view of the sack apron as applied to the wearer as an apron.

Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the blank folded with the astening and supporting straps secured thereto and stitched to form a sack, with the wrong side out.

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the sack shown in Fig. 2 turned right side out, illustrating in dotted lines the supporting and fastening elements.

I am aware that efiorts have been made to utilize fiour sacks for aprons after they have been emptied, but which have proven more or less unsatisfactory owing to the time and labor required, cumbersome folds of material enclosed within the completed sack, etc., adapted to displace an appreciable portion of the contents and interfere with the filling and emptying of the sack, and it was to overcome the deficiencies of such types, and to provide a convertible sack formed from a minimum of material without cumbersome extensions, rand having shoulder or neck apron supporting straps adapted to extend in alignment 'With the side sack orming seam from one end to .the other oi the sack, occupying no appreciable space and tending to constitute a covering for sad'seam, one expeditiously and economically manufactured and which would commend itself to housewives by the facflity with which it could be converted from a sack into an apron, that I have designed the form of sack-apron forming the subject matter of this invention. e

In the illustrated embodiment characterizing this invention there is shown a blank l substantially rectangular in configuration. The apron or attaching strings or straps 2 are attached as at 3 to opposite sides of the blank which are the ends when the blank is formed into a sack.

The blank I is initially hemmed at its opposite ends by stitching 4, and to one edge attached preferably by said stitching 4 is a shoulder strap 5 secured thereto as at 6 and 1, respectively, and a similar strap 8 secured as at 9 and lil, respectively, the said straps adapted to go over the shoulders of the wearer and cross each other diagonally in suspender fashion.

The blank l, after having the straps 2 and 5 and 8 attached as above described, is folded upon itself on the line ll and stitched as at |2 to form a sack, and in which form it is complete except being wrong side out. said stitching |2 from I 3 to [4 constitutes the sack forming side seam and from 14 to |5 the bottom seam. After being turned the completed sack A is illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawing.

It will be apparent that the straps 2 attached at the bottom and top edges occupy practically no space and do not interfere with the filling and emptying Operations. Filling of the sack effects sufficient stretching of the material to cause said straps to lie fiat against or overlying the side sack forming seam !2 throughout its length, taking up substantially no space, not interfering with the filling or emptying operations, and tending to prevent the escape of the contents should the seam to some extent open during course of handling. i

To Convert the sack above described into an apron after it has served its initial purpose, it is but necessary to rz'p the stitching I 2, and the result is a complete apron ready to be worn, and which may be effected by simply inserting the head through the straps 5 and 8 so that they will be diagonally crossed back of and below the wearer's neck and tying the straps 2 thereby further securing the apron in position as will be well understood.

From the above it is apparent that I have designed a fiour bag or the like, manufacturable from a minimum of material, at a negligible cost, expeditiously convertible by the ultimate Consumer into an apron, the apron supporting and fastening means simply constituting strap elements comprising little material, adapted to occupy no appreciable space within the sack or to interfere with the filling or emptying operations, yet eecting the functioning of the converted sack as an apron when utilized as such.

Although in practice I have found that the form of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing and referred to in the above description, as the preferred embodiment, to be the most efficient and practical; yet, realizing the conditions concurrent with the adoption of my invention will necessarily vary, I desire to emphasize that various minor changes in detail of Construction, proportion and arrangement of parts, may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims without departing from or sacrificing any of the principles of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, and without enumerating variations and equivalents, what I desire protected by letters patent is as set forth in the following claims:

1. A sack adapted for conversion into an apron and formed from a one-piece rectangular blank folded upon itself and stitched along its meeting side and bottom edges, said stitching constituting a sack forming side and bottom seam, said sack having apron fastening and supporting means within the sack designed to occupy slight space and not to interfere with the filling and emptying Operations, said means including apron shoulder straps attached at aligned points along said meeting side edges and adapted to be confined to and extend throughout the length of said side seam normally tending to prevent the escape of the contents, should opening of the seam occur during course of handling, said sack being convertible into an apron by removal of said stitching, said straps being then adapted to extend over the shoulders of the wearer to support said apron.

2. A sack adapted for conversion into an apron and formed from a one-piece rectangular blank folded upon itself and stitched along its meeting side and bottom edges, said stitching constituting a sack-forming side and bottom seam, shoulder straps attached at aligned points along said side seam and confined solely to said seam throughout its length, the relationship of the straps with respect to the seam being such as to provide a criss-cross connection upon the severance of the seam.

HARRY A. WILMER. 

